


Fae Blood, Hobbit Life and Dwarrow Bonds

by Lore_Of_Lavennia



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fae & Fairies, M/M, Medical Torture, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-04-25
Packaged: 2018-01-13 09:57:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1221988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lore_Of_Lavennia/pseuds/Lore_Of_Lavennia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The hobbits have some Fae blood in them. Smaug, looking to corrupt a Fae, decided to use the hobbits. As Erebor was overthrown, the Shire was left defenseless against Smaug's minions, led by Azog.<br/>Thus begins the story of a young Bilbo Baggins trying to escape their clutches and his Dwarven rescuers. Together they try to save the rest of the hobbits and maybe even more than that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelude: The beginnings of a story

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own it, I wish I did though. Any mistakes and weird alterations that don’t belong in the original I unfortunately do own.
> 
> AN: This is a plot bunny that banded together with a dust bunny and ambushed me one night. I’ve tried ignoring it, but it’s only grown since then and is cluttering up the space under my bed, so I decided to finally get rid of it. It may be a long introduction, but seeing as it’s an AU story I hope you’ll stick with me and forgive me during this necessary evil. I played around a bit with ages, times, places and the likes.
> 
> I use both the term Dwarves and Dwarrows interchangeable. I know this may irk some people, but there it is. I find it easier to write this way. I also try to find the correct elvish and Khuzdul terms, but may fail often, so forgive me those things, or feel free to correct me.  
> If you want to skip this chapter, feel free. Though it might be a bit harder to follow the story then.  
> I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as possible  
> This is completely unbeta’d due to the fact that I’m having trouble figuring out how to find a beta. Forgive me for my mistakes. I hope I write comprehensively enough. I would like to add that I am not a native speaker.  
> 

A great wizard once told me that every story has more than one beginning and just as many endings. I find he is correct, for in this story there are so many beginnings as there are people touched, and that number far exceeded any expectations. I find that for me, there are three beginnings that truly matter, for after all, they are what led to who and where I am today. Now then, where to start. In this case, it began as you would expect, with the spreading of a great evil.  
  
There had always been a war waged between creatures of light and creatures of darkness. For ever more the darkness tried to corrupt good to create evil. For even though many evil creatures roamed the land, a greater evil still lurked in the shadows, causing the corruption to grow and fester. But Arda always strived to hold a balance for as long as possible.  
  
The Valar had Morgoth, one of their own as counterpart. With the dragons, the great eagles roamed the sky and the Maiar pitted their magic against both dragon and balrog alike. The balrog were rumoured to have large water creatures guarding the passage west as balance to their fire, though it is said the river maidens fought just as fiercely against the Balrog of old, until they faded from this world.  
  
Elves were corrupted to orcs. Humans gave way to Uruk’Hai. Dwarrows roam the same caves as their dark counterparts, the goblins. Trolls were manipulated into being in order to be the counterpart of Ents. Yet here the balance was disrupted. The Ents proved resilient to corruption and the darkness only confused them into withdrawal of the world. The trolls, mutated experiments, proved dimwitted and slow. They were efficient tools, so evil allowed them to endure, tipping the balance of numbers to their side.  
  
When Rings were given to corrupt the good, the large number of foul creatures accompanying this corruption destroyed what was left of the balance in Arda, causing a great war. This war reset the balance. After a long struggle evil was defeated and slunk back into the shadow. Many evil creatures passed into legend and myth, many were forgotten. There were some however, that knew evil still lingered. For it was never defeated, only diminished. So they hid as well and kept watch. Ever cautious to remain ready should evil return strengthened. For these creatures had no counterpart yet. They were the Faere Folk, or as they were most commonly known, Fairies.  
  
Here is where another beginning for our story could be. For when the faere folk retreated, a line of defense disappeared. Evil eventually crept back into the land. The elven country of the greenwood and its neighboring country of Erebor slowly became corrupted. Of more note here is the country of Ithilien, more to the south. Elves had abandoned it after the war, but hobbits had kept on lingering there. Once prosperous and bountiful farmland, it became poisoned. Nothing could grow anymore and the Hobbits inhabiting it were forced to move. Hobbits however, were never meant for travel. They were a paradoxical species, born to adapt to nature but also made to connect with the soil they lived upon. Yavanna had made their connection to the land so strong and lovingly, that a Hobbit, ripped from the soil he was born on, felt this wound as though it was physical. With each step away from their homeland, they grew weaker. Whereas average life expectancy for a hobbit was about 110 years old in Ithilien, this dropped to a mere 65 years old during their travels. The wound of losing their birthplace would rip at a hobbit’s soul until they succumbed to it long before their time. Oftentimes children would raise each other and strong family bonds were all that kept the wayward, homeless halflings together.  
  
On their travels, the wandering hobbits were forced to traverse the large Fangorn Forest. Unused to the feeling of being closed in by trees they were very uncomfortable. At this moment one small Hobbit faunt of the Took line was born. Graham Took was forever bound to that location in the Ent-ruled Fangorn forest. As many will tell you, an Ent-ruled forest has a very peculiar air about it, so the hobbits considered Graham quite strange indeed when it became obvious that the small babe thrived in this atmosphere. The hobbits were eventually free of the forest and continued their wandering. Never finding a place that called to them as Ithilien had.  
  
It was some 40 years later that they came upon a different forest, ruled by a different kind of shepherds of the forest. Fearful of the strange woods, the hobbits travelled alongside it rather than risking to traverse the forest. A now adult Graham felt pulled towards the woods and often ventured inside once the evening camps had been set up. It was on one such evening that Graham would find something that would change the history of all Hobbits to come.  
  
Many centuries the Fairies had kept watch over their forest and the Fae kept them well provided with all sorts of information in order to continue their watch over the world. The Fae were Fairy warriors, trained from a young age in order to learn the ways of the gentle warrior. They were possessing of a gentleness to protect, shield and nurture, as well as a fierce determination that would never stop until all evil was eradicated. They would travel to all directions in order to gain information to pass on to the others, for fairy folk were never alone. They could converse over long distances, provided that there was earth or wind to pass along their messages. They were masters at blending in. Some even said the body of a Fae would adjust to the folk he lived amongst.  
  
One of the most powerful Fae had just returned to the woods of his ancestors when he found a large group of hobbits on the borders. Curious of these small, obviously miserable, creatures, he followed Graham into the woods in order to do what he was best at and gain information. Something happened then that this Fae did not intend. He fell in love with the most unlikely of creatures, a small hobbit. Graham had unknowingly grasped Isthaer the Fae’s affection and one night Isthaer could no longer leave him behind and confronted the hobbit. Stepping from out of the shadows and into the light to meet the hobbit would forever change the ways of Hobbits and Fairies alike.  
  
At first Graham was uncomfortable and slightly fearful, but the fairies had a similar bond to the light and land as the hobbits and Graham was soon soothed by the familiar feeling the Fae had. As nights passed and the hobbits travelled along the woodland borders, the time came when they would inevitably move away from the forest’s sight. The hobbit and his newfound fairy love would have to part. By this time other Fairy folk had gone off in search of Isthaer, for he had failed to contact them for too long. They found him at the edge of the forest torn apart between the feeling of wanting to follow his One or do his duty and return to his kin and their eternal quest to preserve the light.  
  
Knowing full well that the faere folk loved eternal, Isthaer’s kin took pity on him. The Fae contacted the hobbits to learn their ways and see if their kin would be capable of living among them as a member of their family. They found no sense of evil and were soon soothed in their worries. For the hobbits were weary and yet they endured with an innocence that spoke strongly for their gentle nature.  
  
The Fae learned of the hobbit’s plight and sent out messengers to their old allies. Seeking a place of refuge for the small creatures that were so alike to them and yet sometimes so different. The elven kingdom of Imladris responded swiftly, but so did Erebor. Both kingdoms were well capable of protecting this small folk, but only Erebor had need of true farmlands, for they now survived on trade. Thinking it a fair exchange, and finding Erebor closer to home, Isthaer presented the hobbits with their new home.  
  
The Halflings rejoiced and quickly left for Erebor and the lands that were allotted to them. They settled in ‘The Shire’. Many years passed and the Shire’s farmlands thrived. Isthaer married Graham and all Tooks of their line carry Fairy blood. Their Eldest son eventually became the first Thain of the Shire. Some of their descendants still possessed Isthaers magic or his longevity. Other Fae granted several hobbits their blood through rituals, but it never was as strong as the bloodline started from love.  
  
The lines of hobbits often intermingled, until a time came when all hobbits carried at least a bit of the Fae’s blood in them. Not much, but just enough to grant them the mark of the Faere Folk. A bonding symbol. Each hobbit born in the Shire, under the protection of the Faere Folk was born with a mark over their heart. It was a symbol that portrayed their one true love. Marks were circular or semi-circles. The hobbits with full circles died quickly of ‘úna’, the destitute emotion, after having lost their one. Semi-circular marks, or two-quarter-marks as the hobbits called it, could last longer. Their love was no less, but somehow they were able to cling better to this life.  
  
Most marks were a silver gray, almost like a scar, but those with strong Fairy blood were more golden and occasionally a child grew up to gain more marks on the day they reached majority. These marks proved of a more austere nature. They were painful to appear and would depict dangers in their future, paths they would take and choices they would make. It had been since Bullroarer Took that the last second mark was seen, until Belladonna Baggins reached the age of 33.  
  
Here is where a third beginning links into our story. For when hobbits settled in the Shire and thrived, so did the trade with the dwarrows. The dwarves of Erebor were a proud and rich people. Long had they been ruled by a just king, a descendant of Durin. They lived alongside the Halflings of the newfound Shire and prospered from the trade revenues gained from their mines and the farmlands of the Shire alike. The dwarrows took the duty the fairies gave them, protecting the hobbits, very seriously, for they had given their word and a dwarf’s word is sacred. They guarded the Shirefolk with stubborn determination and there was never any need for the hobbits to leave, for outside the Shire danger lurked. Where prosperity reigns however, soon greed will follow. Many countries wished for the wealth of Erebor and its farmlands. The Shirelings had left their dwellings so seldom, that oftentimes representatives of distant lands would be unconvinced of their existence, until they saw the markets the hobbits frequented to sell their wares.  
  
Many centuries passed again and hobbits were forgotten to all but the dwarrows. Then, when Thror ruled the mountain kingdom, Smaug came. He came to Thror as councilor to help his reign prosper. Many were unhappy with his near complete control over the dwarrow king, but none were able to counter his near magical influence on the king. He manipulated Thror until the king was no more than a puppet. His family was forced to watch, unable to act and eventually the night of Smaug came. He had plotted for this night for so long. In one night, the entire population of dwarves of Erebor was forced to flee the mountain or be killed by a legion of orcs, led by Azog, the foulest of them all. As Azog’s minions murdered dwarrows and destroyed all that Erebor was, Azog went with Smaug to the royal chambers to complete their victory. Smaug killed Thror. Thrain, Thror’s son and heir and several of his kin managed to escape thanks to help from the outside. Among those that escaped was Thror’s grandson, Thorin.  
  
In one night Erebor was destroyed and all dwarrows gone from the land. Thorin went into exile as his father slowly went mad with grief as more of his people died in their bid to find shelter. The young crown prince never forgave and he never forgot. He led their people in his father’s stead as Thrain disappeared after trying to reclaim Erebor. He was always on the lookout for a chance to regain Erebor. With his people settled and ruled by his sister, he hid a small settlement in a nearby mountain range and from there sent regular patrols to look for entrance into Erebor. Ravens were ever watchful of any sign of life, but the fate of both Erebor and the hobbits remained unknown to the dwarrows. Which is all too well, for the Halflings’ lot was a sad one indeed.  
  
The first decades of life under the reign of Smaug were not much different, but soon rumours grew of a shadow in the East and whispers of disappearances. Later corpses were found of Hobbits, tortured or simply killed due to the stress of leaving home. All of these missing a single part of skin, the bonding mark.  
  
The hobbits were immediately fearful, but all their bids to contact the outside world ended in screams, ringing throughout the woods surrounding the Shire, so they hid in their smials. It was not long then, until Azog came and nearly emptied the Shire. The few hobbits left were considered ‘useless’ and were forced to continue work on their farmland. The others were dragged into the mountain and never seen again.  
  
Here is where we pick up on Belladonna Took’s story again.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Belladonna Took was a regular Tookish hobbit lass. She was born with a golden mark and the fairy blood ran thick in her veins, but she was otherwise quite normal. There was no talk of magic, just a little adventurous spirit that had her running off into the woods as a child, in search of elves and wizards. As she grew older she went on a big adventure with a strange old fireworks salesman, but when she returned a little under a year later, Belladonna settled down. She married an entirely respectable Baggins. The family that was proud to have almost no fairy blood. She and Bungo loved each other dearly and the family’s protest couldn’t stop them as they got married the following spring. Belladonna was considered quite old to have her first child, but nowhere near over her prime and yet, no child was born.  
  
When Smaug invaded Erebor and the Shire, she was 43. Both Belladonna and Bungo were taken into the mountain. All the hobbits were trouped together in a single large cave with cells all around, some already occupied by other creatures unfortunate enough to have caught Smaug’s eye. They were guarded on all sides by orcs and goblins as Smaug appeared on an overhead balcony. She would often think back on that day later. As she and Bungo remained glued together Smaug smirked evilly and started speaking to all of them in a frightfully growling and patronizing voice.  
  
“My dear hobbits. You are gathered here today because you have something I want. I’ll be happy to take it from you, so would you mind very much to stay here in the meantime?”. Though he posed it as a nice question, the hobbits recoiled as one from the look in his eyes. They were hard, hungry and demanding, not at all as kind as his words would seem to be. Soon the orcs dove in on the hobbits, separating them into small family groups, keeping the youngsters with their parents, but taking the older tweens from them. The families were then further separated into groups of ten and placed under lock and key. The tweens were placed in a larger cell across the cave, barely visible in the dim lighting.  
  
Soon after every last hobbit was checked over by a group of Orcs that was clearly trained for a different purpose. They checked them over physically, noted down all their marks and names and relations. The youngest children were taken for much longer and only returned to their families hours later looking like empty shells. Nobody knew what they were looking for, they only knew of the orcs’ interest in their markings.  
  
Soon after the hobbits started dying, their numbers more than halving in less than two years. The stress of imprisonment and the lack of food and daylight weighing on them. Bungo took ill just as the changes started. Smaug had apparently figured out their weakness and hobbits were taken for daily airing out in a nearby cave. The cave was still a prison, but it was large enough to allow in some sunlight from a gap in the mountain face far above them. The ground was soft enough for the hobbits to start a small patch of farmland. The tweens started appearing in their own family groups, as they were placed in ‘breeding pairs’ and were replaced by younger children. Slowly but surely life picked back up as hobbits were allowed this bit of freedom and land to work with. Love was still possible and sometimes children were born, though their pregnancies would be harsh due to the ever remaining imprisonment weighing on the hobbits. They simply could not live in imprisonment and ‘daily airing’, as if they were laundry hung to dry, was not the same as their life of freedom before.  
  
The numbers of hobbits still dropped, though not as drastically as before. In the seventh year since their capture, Belladonna fell pregnant. Bungo died soon after that revelation, having never quite recovered from the strain of their capture and his illness. Worries for his wife and child killed him the other members of Belladonna’s ‘family group’ said. The remaining hobbits in her prison cell helped her hide the pregnancy as long as possible, but eventually the orcs noticed. She was taken from their room and brought to another cave, filled with five more pregnant hobbits. Camellia Sackville, who’d married her brother in law, Mirabella took, her sister and young Primrose Boffin, barely older than 33, as well as two others she didn’t know before. They became her dearest friends as each of them was forced to undergo test after test. They were injected with weird substances and then let out in a comfortable room with a small door leading into a cave with crystals that emulated sunlight. Even these lush surroundings that had probably belonged to dwarrow royalty someday, could not calm the pregnant hobbits as their children grew heavier and stronger, ready for birth. The two women she didn’t know before, Daisy and Lavender went into labor far too soon and didn’t return from the lab. Next was Mirabella. She delivered safely as she would later find out. So did Primrose and Camellia. The other ladies who took their place died in childbirth or just didn’t return. Belladonna gave birth after Primrose. Her son had the brightest bonding mark she’d ever seen. Shining golden and bright at his birth. Before she could grab hold of Bilbo, her young baby boy was whisked away by the orcs as she fought to get back to him. Her precious child was in the hands of Smaug and there was no way she could let him remain there.  
  
Eventually young Bilbo and Belladonna were reunited and taken back to their cells. She was pushed back in her family group and raised her son. Another ten years passed as Belladonna did all she could to protect her young son from the ever interested Smaug and his band of mad scientists. The aunties and uncles he’d gained in the family group were growing old and would soon succumb as well. They helped where they could, but more often than not to no avail. Bilbo was often taken from them and only returned hours later, with an old look on his small features. The years passed as Bilbo grew past the toddler stage and learned to survive the administrations of Goblins, Orcs and an overenthusiastic evil scientist. As Bilbo reached his twelfth birthday another change was made.  
  
The large cell cave opened up. All the prisoners in the cave were allowed to interact freely with each other during the day. Many found their families again. The few remaining tweens from their capture numbered less than a dozen. An entire generation was lost. As grief mingled with relief, the hobbits were allowed more freedom to go into the cave for farming, and all that remained of their captivity was their curfew, their lack of privacy and property and the new non-hobbit members of their prisoner family. Years passed the hobbits by as their numbers dwindled. Bilbo was taken nearly every month for an entire day. His mother always waited in fear for the day he wouldn’t return, yet every time Bilbo was taken he returned more determined to survive. He grew up to become a stubborn, yet kindhearted hobbit, taking care of his family and protecting them as well as he could.  
  
The hobbits remaining after nearly forty years in captivity were mostly Tooks and a few others. They were the only ones capable of surviving the strain this life gave them. It was a miserably life, to be sure, but it was a life none the less. Belladonna and the older hobbits had long since figured out what Smaug needed: ‘The blood of the Faere Folk’. They had seen the pieces of skin saved in a room of the lab. All of them bearing markings. She had seen Smaug study hers and feared for Bilbo. His mark was stronger than any other and she believed he might even carry some of the Fae magic in him. His character was such a strong spirit it seemed almost impossible considering the circumstances. Would he develop extra marks as well? As Bilbo neared the age of 33, Belladonna grew weaker, but ever more determined to find a way to free her son. She would not allow him to remain a science experiment forever. So she did what any Hobbit did best. She planned for her son.  
  
And then her chance came.


	2. Of Dwarrows and Fauntlings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own it, I wish I did though. Any mistakes and weird alterations that don’t belong in the original I unfortunately do own.  
> AN: I hope some of you enjoy reading this. I’m also looking for a good dwarvish translator if anyone knows one. I’d like to improve on my butchered khuzdul so as to avoid annoyance for any potential readers.

‘Melhekhaz Rayadith nu’. It was the first three words the hobbits had heard about him that sounded like a name. They decided he needed a shorter one. He’d long grown used to being called ‘Uncle Melkhaz’ by the young hobbits, even the dwarves now called him that. After the prison cells were opened daily, the captured group of dwarves had quickly been integrated in the hobbit families. The two remaining human prisoners were disdainful of the Halflings for working and living peacefully while captive. The hobbits therefore avoided the men as much as possible. From the original group of seven humans, there was only one that ever understood the need for normalcy that drove the hobbits. Girion had passed away about two decades ago, leaving only men filled with distrust and keeping to themselves. The group of dwarrows had started out with five, but now only three remained. Thrain, the king, had gone mad and was removed soon after they ended up imprisoned. He’d become a danger to all the prisoners as well as their jailors. Fundin, Thrain’s trusted advisor and guard had died of injuries he sustained in the battle before their capture. Loni, the only female dwarf in their midst and the one who’d been there the longest, hadn’t spoken a word since. That left him and Lofar. Lofar wasn’t a bad dwarf. A bit rough around the edges, but overall good. Though he really needed to mind his language more around the hobbits.  
  
In the afternoons, when hobbit parents left for the fields, the dwarves had quickly taken it upon themselves to care for the little faunts remaining. There had been more than one occasion where parents had left their young children to roam the farmcave, only to find them missing by the time curfew came around. They would inevitably be brought back from the labs, looking worse for wear and not straying from the parent’s side for days. This hindered the adults from working in the fields and getting both the sun and exercise they needed. So the dwarves did what they could. Keeping the young faunts busy by telling them dwarvish tales about the mountain, about their legends. They even taught the young ones to read, write and basic arithmetic as well as history. Unfortunately, Lofar’s cursing often taught the hobbits a bit more about Khuzdul as well. Not that he minded much. It was highly unlikely someone would find out they’d taught the hobbits something about their secret culture. They were trapped anyway.  
  
Melkhaz even had a few favorite faunts. They were always up for learning more. Their minds were inquisitive, good at problem solving and had an innate ability to remember histories and names. One of those was Bilbo Baggins. He’d helped Belladonna raise the boy, just like he’d done so many others. The boy had managed to worm his way into the dwarrow’s heart like no other though. One of the reasons was the boy's charming personality. Where other faunts eventually gave up trying to converse with the ever-silent Loni past a certain age, Bilbo kept bugging her to ‘talk’ with him. He somehow managed to understand anything she was feeling or meant to say, simply by looking at her. He didn’t even know a single sign of Iglishmêk. Loni had only recently started begging Melkhaz to teach the boy the dwarves’ sign language. He was inclined to allow it, no matter how much it went against every tradition.  
  
He never really liked the tradition to keep their culture a secret, but had done so anyway. He had taught them some things such as legends and history, but never anything as important as language. The hobbits didn’t share the dwarven secrecy in the slightest. The dwarves now knew almost everything about them. They didn’t even mind the three listening in as the adult hobbits taught the young ones all about flower language, recipes and tradition. Even if the likelihood of seeing the things they learned about was so small it was almost laughable. It helped the older hobbits to speak about their roots and pass on their knowledge and memories. The dwarrows knew of the markings, the Fae and even the orcs’ quest for the Fae blood and magic.  
  
Melkhaz looked up at the shadow looming over him, breaking him from his thoughts as he’d been looking at Lofar scratching some Westron words in the cave floor to teach the young hobbits sitting around him. “Belladonna Baggins. How can I help you?” He grinned at the hobbit mother. “I need a word with you Melkhaz.” He nodded and got up to move a bit away from the ‘class’ going on in front of them. She looked quite nervous as she kept stealing glances to her son and the guards, though you wouldn't see it from her face unless you really looked at her eyes. Finally a bit away from the rest of the hobbits and guards, near the fields, Belladonna started talking again. “I have an idea to help Bilbo escape and I need your help.” She stopped at this as Melkhaz was trying to collect himself and not give anything away what they were discussing to the ever-present goblin guards. It took all he had not to laugh at her daring or to grab her and try and protect her from the folly she was speaking.  
  
As she waited patiently, he spoke up after a few minutes: “Why? Belladonna, why haven’t you mentioned this sooner. And what on earth are you talking about? We’ve been looking for an escape for ages, but we just haven’t found one even if we know this mountain better than the orcs.”. “The plan I have isn’t a good one, but it’s necessary. You know just as well as I do what the orcs are looking for. I look at Bilbo and I just know Melkhaz. You know it too. I can’t let them have him. His thirtieth birthday is coming up. My time is running out.” She whispered frantically. He glanced at the boy and sighed: “It’s fairy blood isn’t it. I know he’s stronger than the other hobbits, but you’re not certain it will happen Bell. We can’t just risk everything for a single faunt unless we know for certain he’ll be getting that second mark.” Melkhaz looked closer at Bilbo who was staring at Loni. The female dwar was clearing the sand of Lofar’s scribbles. “I know my son Melkhaz. His marking is stronger than any hobbit I’ve ever seen or heard of. He dreams of things I can’t imagine and I believe he might even have Fae magic if he’d be able to learn from them. Besides, looking at where we live it’s surprising there hasn’t been another hobbit with a second marking yet. I think I might even understand now what my second marking means. Just hear me out will you?” At Belladonna’s pleading he finally gave in and listened to her plan. It was daring and dangerous. He had to admit there was a chance of success though. He would start out as soon as possible. There was no time to lose. In helping Belladonna, he might even be able to give the other youngsters a chance in escaping.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Bilbo was happy. Or at least, as happy as can be in a prison meant for ‘test subjects’, as Smaug liked to remind him in his monthly ‘visit’. The man was horrid and Bilbo couldn’t help but fight him every time he was taken to the lab. This only seemed to please Smaug, but Bilbo couldn’t live with just letting them do to him as they pleased. Besides the monthly visits, life was okay though. Bilbo was able to learn new things from the elder hobbits and the dwarves. Loni had finally started teaching him a bit of sign language and uncle Melkhaz had started secretely teaching the faunts the basics of ‘fighting’. Or at least as much as possible without showing them fighting moves. He’d been telling them tales of battle and their strategy. Fights were more detailed than necessary, but the guards never noticed. He’d describe a-the stance of one warrior, sometimes even drawing it in the sand. Then he’d speak about how to counter and ways of fighting and defending one’s self, all in the innocent guise of a children's story. Bilbo was suspicious as to why they were taught to fight, but he was glad to learn something new. He’d already remembered most of the stories and histories they taught so he embraced the new knowledge.  
  
Besides fighting and strategy, Melkhaz also started telling them about the mountain itself. Again, he disguised this information about the mountain’s halls and passageways in stories about two young princes and a princess, running through the halls and getting into mischief with their friends. The stories were often funny, but Bilbo’s mind started to wander. As often with the hobbit’s knowledge, he wondered if he’d ever see the things he'd heard about. He wondered what the outside world was like. What would true wind feel like, what would a field of flowers look like. He guessed at the image of a lake, or the open sky. With these new stories he dreamed of passing through the mountain halls, running undetected towards the outside world he longed for.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Three years passed and Bilbo grew stronger. He’d been running around helping the dwarves take care of the faunts and helping his mother in the field. She was strangely insistent he exercise as much as possible. Bilbo wasn’t dimwitted. He knew she was planning something. She had been acting strange for a while now. He even had an idea as to why. He just didn’t know why she’d risk an escape attempt. Then the night of his 33rd birthday came and all that changed.  
  
He woke up feeling like liquid gold passed through his veins. It felt as if he was being reforged. He felt like there was ice and heat spreading in all directions of his body simultaneously. As he saw some of his limbs lighting up, the pain intensified and he shut his eyes against it. He was convulsing now, but trying to hold back his screams. His cellmates had woken up and his mother was by his side. He realized she was speaking and tried to focus on her instead of the pain. “…a lookout. Quickly. We can’t have them find out. Donna, can I borrow your blanket? We need to cover the light if we can. The longer we can hide it, the better.” His mother’s voice whispered to the others, barely audible over the rushing of his blood. As he looked at his mother’s face she smiled down at him. “It’s okay Bilbo. Do you remember second markings? You’re getting yours dear. Don’t worry. It’ll all be fine. We just need you to keep as silent as possible. It’ll soon pass. I’m so proud dear. You’re all grown up. Your father would be so proud of who you've become. Shh… Don’t worry. The pain should be gone soon.”  
  
As his mother continued soothing him, Bilbo did feel the pain subside marginally. ‘My second marking’ Bilbo thought to himself. He knew what it meant. He would have something important happen in his future. As he thought this, it all clicked into place. His mother and Melkhaz had known and had planned an escape attempt for him. Smaug was looking for hobbits with strong Fae ties, everyone knew, but now he realised he was in more danger than his cousins. Bilbo quickly blinked away some tears at the thought of having to choose between facing Smaug with a second marking or trying a dangerous escape.  
  
Belladonna had known her son his entire life. She’d seen the pieces click together as he worked out the reason for her strange attitude lately and Melkhaz’ new stories. She didn’t want her son to leave her, but she knew he was no longer safe. She looked down as Bilbo’s breathing finally calmed down. She saw the light of his skin centering at the back of his neck and under the blankets. It was bad, she knew. Her son was the first hobbit in ages with second markings like this. He had three new markings and she couldn’t help but bite back tears as she looked at her baby boy. Destined for greatness, or great sadness.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The morning came too soon, as Bilbo remained weak from the pain, his mother started frantically talking to him. “Bilbo my sweet, they’ll come for you soon. I was hoping your marking would be small enough to hide away, but that’s not possible now. I’ll tell you when you’re back what they look like. For now, I need you to stay awake and listen carefully. Can you do that for me?” Belladonna rambled on, “ Smaug will come. He always comes at the 33rd birthday of a hobbit. He knows enough about the Fae to figure out who’s blood is thicker than the other’s. He’s been looking for hobbits like you and me for a long while. Now listen carefully. No matter what happens or has happened. Never think this is your fault. We all love you, you’re family after all. You’re my heart, my dear baby boy. Now hear me out. Smaug will come for you and take you away. We can’t do much about that, but I need you to be strong. I can only guess what’ll happen, but Smaug is evil and arrogant. He’ll want to drag out his experimenting. He’ll want to think carefully on what to do first so you’ll be with him longer. Whatever you do, don’t trust him. Don’t tell him anything.”  
  
She blinked away some tears as Adalgrim, who was on lookout hissed at her as a signal. They were coming. “I hope I’m right, but you should be brought back to us after some time. Then our plan starts. You know what I’m talking about, dear. We’ll get you and the other fauntlings out of here. Please. Be strong.” Shouts could be heard from the guards as one of the lab orcs was coming to their cell, shouting for the other guards to open only their cell and take Bilbo. “Be strong, Bilbo. I love you. I’ll see you soon.” Belladonna finished quietly as the guards came in, fighting off the other hobbits to pick up Bilbo, still weak from the pain. Bilbo tried to struggle, but he was miserably weak. It felt as though the appearance of the markings had drained him completely. He had no energy left to spare and even the adrenaline couldn't stir enough life in him to be more dangerous than a stuffed toy.  
  
Soon, Bilbo was brought to the lab. They quickly saw the light still emanating from his markings, as they would shine for quite a while yet. Smaug was called forward and the most arduous hours of Bilbo’s life started with the arrival of the serpent of a man and his evil smirk at the sight of a almost completely stripped Bilbo, wearing blatantly obvious golden shining marks on his neck, forearms and thighs. ‘I’m doomed’ was the last clear thought Bilbo had before pain and torment filled his mind for hours to come.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Two and a half days after they’d taken Bilbo, he was returned to them. Melkhaz looked on as he was tossed unceremoniously at the heap of blankets they slept on, Belladonna ran to her cell and her son. The other hobbits followed. This was the longest they’d ever kept a hobbit and returned him. Some had already given up hope, but every one of them knew why Bilbo was taken. “How is he Bell?” Halfred Greenhand asked the question they were all thinking of.  
  
Melkhaz quickly stepped closer to look at the young boy. He may not be a hobbit, but he was considered family. He tried to get a look, but as a weak groan could be heard from the young body in Belladonna’s arms he was unceremoniously shoved aside as Loni ran forward. Together with Belladonna she carefully laid Bilbo on the blankets to look at the damage. The others, at having heard he was alive quickly spread to the farming cave and taking the youngsters with them to spare them the sight of the injuries Bilbo might have. Melkhaz, Loni, Halfred, Adalgrim, Primrose and Mirabella remained to help. As Bilbo was stripped of his clothes, Melkhaz could see lacerations and injections all over his small body. He also noticed the markings of the Fae and sucked in some air. It looked like they’d tried gouging out at least one of them. It still stood proudly against his skin, looking stark white against the color red spread around his leg. It looked familiar, but above all, it looked gruesome. Primrose had to avert her eyes to keep from crying out. Holman looked quite green, but no one protested as Loni ripped the few sheets they had to shreds to bandage what they could.  
  
After having taken care of her son as best she could Belladonna approached Melkhaz. “I know it’s a lot to ask of you. I also know it isn’t my place. I know what you are Melkhaz, but I have no choice left. Please, I'm begging you. Save my son from more of this. He needs to get out. He deserves a chance at freedom.” and Melkhaz, formerly known under a different name, knew he no longer had a choice.  
As he watched Belladonna bow at him and turn to care for her suffering child, Frerin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror vowed he would save this one child. Even if his life was lost in the process. No child should have to suffer through a second round of this.  
  
And so their plan was set into action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Loni is supposed to be a male dwarf, but I decided to make her a female dwarf. I have a reason for this.
> 
> The next chapter is already half written and should be up soon.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	3. The Great Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: *presses repeat* I don’t own it, I wish I did though. Any mistakes and weird alterations that don’t belong in the original I unfortunately do own.
> 
> AN: I haven't finished catching up with my thesiswriting, but I figured you all deserved this. I wasn’t able to reread since I wanted to give you this as soon as possible. I’m sorry for any mistakes that probably snuck in. This is actually half of a chapter, I had to split it with the next part. I know it’s short, but this was the only place I seemed able to split it. I'm not entirely pleased with the chapter, but rewriting didn't work so here it goes anyway.

Melkhaz was worried. He’d be the first to admit that this was their only chance, but it didn’t stop him from worrying. They’d gotten the message out to the other hobbits that they were going to try and smuggle at least one faunt of each family out, but they couldn’t take all of them. Even though there  were barely twenty youngsters left, they would only be able to take ten with them if they were to have any chance of succeeding.

The hobbits had quickly decided that each family would only send one child. The only exception to that rule had been Bilbo. As soon as they heard of the plan, both the Bagginses and Tooks were willing to give up their places to save the youngster. He was the only one with more than one marking, not counting his mother, but Belladonna hadn’t been bothered for her second mark since they’d lost their shine a few years back. Bilbo was unanimously chosen to be the first to escape the caves. The other families had then decided during the evening on which child to send. The morning after having spread the news, Frerin knew exactly which youngsters would be joining them.

Bilbo would be the oldest to join with thirty-three years of age. The youngest would be Primula Brandybuck at the age of three.  The Bagginses had chosen Drogo, their second eldest youngster. After that came the Bracegirdle’s who’d chosen their youngest, Lobelia, who was only five. The Boffins had chosen not to send anyone. Both Jessamine and Jago Boffin were in their tweens, but their markings weren’t very strong and Smaug didn’t even have them brought to the lab anymore like he did the other faunts. The youngsters themselves had decided to give away their place to another faunt who might be in more danger. They’d chosen Rorimac Brandybuck themselves. The Cotton’s were going to send Holman, but he refused as well, standing by Jessamine and Jago. He decided he’d give up his place for Bruno Bracegirdle so that none of the youngest faunts would be without a sibling if they managed to make it outside. The Proudfeet would be sending along Odo. The Tooks chose to preserve the Thains’ line and would be sending Ferumbras. That left the Bolgers with Prisca and Holman Greenhand. The last of which had fervently stated he’d only be going with them to help Bilbo. Like his father before him he’d serve the Bagginses well and keep his promise to Miss Belladonna, he stated. Melkhaz didn’t try to discourage him by telling the boy he’d seen his parents ask Bell to help persuade the youngster into coming along.

Their plan was to leave during the regular inspection. Every four months a messenger was sent to the mountain to visit the prisons and labs and inspect Smaugs progress. None of the hobbits or dwarrows knew where he came from, but every time one of the messengers was present, the mountain was in uproar. There would be fewer orcs guarding the prison cells, likely because they were relocated by Smaug for the inspection. The patrols would also take on a strict schedule rather than the erratic comings and goings of orcs they usually were. All in all, the changes worked in their favour and it would be the best time to escape. The next inspection was due somewhere in the next few days. Though the time worked in their favour for escaping, Melkhaz was concerned. Bilbo had yet to recover enough to be able to walk any long distance. The boy could sit up and move around a bit, but the wound on his legs had yet to close. Loni had told him she’d carry the boy if necessary, but Frerin knew he’d need all three of the dwarrows ready to fight.  With the route they needed to take, it was inevitable that they would be discovered. He could only hope that they’d be near enough to the outside for the small hobbits to be able to make it.

The third day after Bilbo’s return, their time ran out. The horns had signaled a visitor and the orcs had taken on a schedule for patrols. They would be leaving the next night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The orcs didn’t care to see if every hobbit returned to their family cell in the evening. The hobbits had craved the normalcy in the beginning of their imprisonment and as such only a few hobbits ever stayed in different places at night. This worked in their favour, as that night the small faunts were gathered in the cell of the three dwarrows. They’d break out as soon as the midnight patrol passed. That was the easy part. The dwarves had built these halls, they knew the strengths and weaknesses. They also had a very mischievous prince among them who’d learned to pick a lock from the spymaster himself, after having managed to sneak up on him. Frerin decided that if he ever saw Hannar again, if the spymaster was even still alive, he’d thank the man on his knees for the skill.

It didn’t take long for the lock to open. The first time Frerin had managed to open the lock, the other dwarves were still alive. Back then they couldn’t find an escape route before they were caught and taken before Smaug. Fundin died soon after their escape attempt, having used up all that was left of his energy. They decided not to risk it again. Now they were breaking out once more, only to be caught as a diversion for the small hobbits.

As Frerin took the lead Loni silently herded the young hobbits out of their cells. Lofar would bring up the rear. Bilbo was currently being carried by Loni and Frerin held the two youngest hobbits in his arms as they needed to move outside of the prison cave as soon as possible, before the second guard patrol passed. As the small hobbits passed, their families silently whispered prayers  to Yavanna and encouragements to their children. The only different response was Belladonna. She offered no words, only a silent nod to Frerin.

As the small group of thirteen reached the gate to the next cave the dwarrows crouched down as Holman, Ferumbras and Drogo used their naturally silent movements to sneak to the other side of the gate. They signaled to the dwarves the number of guards and then waited for their dwarrow uncle’s response. Frerin didn’t wait long. He listened quietly for the sounds of the guards to move closer to their hiding place. When he thought they’d be close enough he nodded. As soon as the young hobbits sprang up on the backs of the two guards to silence them, Lofar sprinted forward and hit both orcs in the neck. They fell down unconscious and silent. After checking for more onlookers, Frerin grabbed the weapons he could find and went on towards the entrance to the main tunnel system. They needed to hurry.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bilbo was exhausted. He’d been sleeping all day in order to be able to join the others in the escape attempt, but it just wasn’t enough. His leg throbbed and he was sure his black trousers were stained in blood already. His head was feeling a bit fuzzy, but above all Bilbo hated being carried. He felt that he was slowing the others down, but whenever he tried to whisper Loni to let him down, she only hefted him higher. The dwarrowdam had decided to protect him no matter what.

As the other elder faunts helped Melkhaz and Lofar take out the guards at the various tunnel entrances, Bilbo could only watch. He felt useless.

After what seemed like forever, but could have been no more than fifteen minutes, the entire group had finally reached the main hall. Melkhaz quickly turned into an abandoned room and set down Lobelia and Primula as Loni gently lowered Bilbo. “Listen carefully ok?” Melkhaz looked at the four older faunts before petting the head of each younger child to calm them. “The next guard patrol is due any minute now. I don’t know if they’ll notice we’re gone from the cells, but if they do I need you to follow my orders directly.” Lofar grunted something in Khuzdul from the doorway as Melkhaz continued: “We’ll take you as far as possible to the hidden passage we need to take. If the guards catch up with us, one of us three dwarrows will hold them off as long as possible. I need all of you to follow either one of us or Bilbo, Holman or Ferumbras’ lead. They’re the eldest.” At this the youngest hobbits nodded. Drogo looked a bit disgruntled for not being included, but even he nodded.

Melkhaz looked at Bilbo, Holman and Ferumbras: “Do you remember the secret passage I told you about in my stories, the one leading to the corundum gate?” Bilbo and Holman nodded, Ferumbras looked confused. Melkhaz sighed and looked back at the two who did remember: “I need you to guide the others to the gate. The key to that gate is always hidden in a small niche next to it. It’s marked by a green garnet. If you remember what I taught you about stones and how they look, you should be able to recognize it if you look closely. If the three of us can’t make it, I need you to get as many hobbits as possible outside. Be swift and be quiet. Once you’re outside, head down the mountain and go west or southwest, the border is closest that way. Whatever you do, don’t stop and don’t look back.” Lofar growled from the door as the two hobbits nodded. Loni quickly gathered the smaller members of their group together as Melkhaz went to Lofar.

Bilbo shivered as he stood in the middle of the hobbits. Primula was clinging to his left leg as Rorimac held her other hand. Little Bruno had picked up his young sister and was hiding behind Ferumbras. Drogo tried to look strong, but was holding on to the hem of Holman’s shirt. They were just children. He feared they’d never make it, but he didn’t dare say those thoughts out loud. He was the eldest among them, both he and Holman had to stay strong. Melkhaz signed them to get ready to move. Bilbo and Holman quickly shared a nod as they started moving towards the door.

 Before they could reach the door an ear piercing scream rendered them motionless for a small moment.  Immediately after the alarm bell started clanging. The dwarves looked at each other as the hobbits quickly started moving towards the door. They needed to leave. The empty cell had been discovered.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

They were no longer sneaking about. The hobbits and their three dwarves were now outright running. Frerin took them through the tunnels that were further away from the general thoroughfare, hoping they were less used by orcs. He was right that they were less populated, but there were still a few stragglers left behind. As he and Lofar took up the front and disposed of any orc they met, Loni took up the back, still holding Bilbo. Both Holman and Ferumbras had picked up their two smaller members as soon as they started running. The hobbits were quickly running out of breath though. Frerin could safely say all thirteen of them were running ragged. They were no longer in good shape after all these years of imprisonment, but the end was in sight.

The large dark doors of the central library were visible at the end of the hallway. Frerin quickly spurred the hobbits on to speed up. But they were quickly losing ground on the orcs. It seemed a large group of them had finally caught up and were fervently giving chase. Frerin quickly fell back to the tail end of the group to help protect them if necessary. As Lofar continued on to the door and ushered the faunts in. Melkhaz and Loni were the last to enter. Before any more could be said Lofar nodded at his prince and closed the door behind them. He would buy them some more time to get the hobbits to the next end of their journey.

“Quick now little ones! This way!” Melkhaz took up the lead again and ushered the hobbits away from the door. “We can’t just leave Lofar!” shouted Prisca, but Frerin had no time to listen to her. “He’ll buy us time. We need to move. Now!” Drogo took Prisca’s hand and got her moving with the rest of them. Melkhaz hardly had time to look about him as he guided the remainders of their small group through bookcases and different side halls to the back of the library. As they finally reached the end of the library’s history hall they heard a large crash. The orcs had broken in.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bilbo was scared. He needed to be able to do something. They needed to get out of here. He looked at Melkhaz. The dwarrow seemed stuck between deciding to press on or leave another behind to guard their escape again. He hated having to leave Lofar, but Bilbo knew it was necessary. He may be a new adult, but just like the others, he'd seen enough to understand the choice the dwarrow had made. “I’ll lead them on! Loni, let me go. Holman, help me up. Drogo and Ferumbras will take Prim and Lobelia. Melkhaz, help uncle Lofar. Don’t worry about us. I’ll try and get us out. We know the way.” Bilbo was quickly rattling on as Loni lowered him. Melkhaz shot him a grateful look. He knew they needed another distraction now. They didn’t have enough time to make it outside unseen, unless another one stayed behind. Bilbo had seen before how protective Melkhaz was with the youngest dwarrow, he wouldn’t want to leave Loni alone. Melkhaz looked around at the others. Ferumbras grinned at him and Drogo nodded. All of the hobbits held at least one knife from the guards they'd already taken out. The eldest hobbits knew what they needed to do.

As Melkhaz turned his back on them and started to head into the main aisle of the library, Bilbo was hoisted up to lean on Holman’s shoulder. Loni helped them move a fallen bookcase to open up the secret passage. Bilbo looked back one last time before turning and heading inside the dark opening that would lead them to higher passages and eventually to the secret gate outside. Loni was the last to enter the passage before the opening was closed from the inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EN: I hope it’s not too difficult that I now use both the name Frerin and Melkhaz interchangeable? I’m sorry for skipping POV a lot. That should stop later on in the fic.  
> If you find any mistakes, do let me know. I’ll correct them. I’m still looking for a beta by the way. If anyone’s interested?  
> Here’s the respective ages of the youngsters. Bilbo Baggins 33, Primula Brandybuck 3, Lobelia Bracegirdle 5, Drogo Baggins 25, Holman Cotton 21, Odo Proudfoot 19, Ferumbras Took 26, Rorimac Brandybuck 21, Prisca Bolger 17, Holman Greenhand 31, Holman Cotton 21, Bruno Bracegirdle 10


	4. temporary

Hello all.  
This is a quick update.  
I know I said I'd have this quickly updated,  
but some unlucky real life things have been happening.  
I broke my leg keeping me away from my laptop,  
when I was recovered enough to get to my laptop, my laptop broke.  
I have the next chapters written on paper and finally have a laptop I managed to loan from someone.  
You will have to wait for the next chapter a while longer though, as I need to catch up on my thesis writing first, since I do hope to graduate sometime soon.

I'm terribly sorry and will work as hard as possible to catch up on my writing and hopefully still get my thesis finished on time so I can write the next chapters on this laptop.  
Sorry.  
And thank you for your patience (hopefully).

 

2nd update!  


The third chapter is up. In between breaks I managed to retype it into my laptop. I hope you don't mind any mistakes, cause I wanted to give it to you all as fast as possible.  


Thanks and hopefully I'll have the next up soon.

**Author's Note:**

> EN: I've tried to write it differently and failed. I hope there's still people interested and willing to stick with me.  
> I know I changed a lot. Most of the characters will be present though.  
> Besides that I’d like to mention again that I’m not a native speaker, so forgive me for any mistakes.  
> I’m open to suggestions and the likes, though I pretty much have the story all set out, I am always open to changes for the better.
> 
> The first few chapters are a bit of an intro. Sorry for this.  
> If anyone wants to beta I would be very grateful to them. I do think I need one, I just can't find anybody willing.
> 
> Also, if anyone has a better 'summary' to suggest I would be happy to change mine. I know it's no good as it is now.  
> The same goes for tags. This is my very first fanfiction and I am a bit lost as to all the different tags that can be added. If anyone finds one they think I should add, I will.
> 
> Thank you for your attention.


End file.
